The writing room.

Measles is making a comeback in the U.S. A staggering 54 cases were just confirmed in Minnesota. That's in addition to 61 cases reported in 2017 alone. The U.S. declared itself measles-free back in 2000. So how did this happen? Well, you can thank anti-vaxxers. They're the people who believe that vaccines contain unsafe toxins or cause autism, and they refuse to vaccinate their children. But here's the problem. Anti-vaxxer claims are 100% false.

In 1998, a British surgeon published a research paper that linked the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine to autism. The paper was later discredited, and the doctor who published it even lost his medical license. Since then, scientists have disproved any connection between vaccines and autism. But anti-vaxxers have continued their campaign to convince parents that vaccinations will hurt their kids. They've even gone as far as targeting vulnerable communities. In 94% of recent Minnesota cases, the patient wasn't vaccinated.

And that's a big deal for two reasons. Measles is one of the most contagious and lethal diseases in the world. If one person contracts the virus, it can infect more than a dozen unvaccinated people. And infants who are too young to receive the vaccination are at the highest risk. Before the vaccine was developed in 1963, 500 Americans died each year because of the disease. Children who survive can still suffer lifelong complications, including deafness and brain damage.

And when parents opt out of vaccinating their child, they affect what's called herd immunity. If enough people in a community get vaccinated, then it makes it difficult for diseases to spread. But if more than 10% of children don't get the vaccine, it may cause a major outbreak. The spreading disease could also mutate, making the vaccinations that people already have less effective. Despite all of this, the anti-vax movement is going strong. So what will it take to convince these parents to vaccinate their children?